For example, Patent Document 1 describes a conventional distributed multimedia server system. FIG. 1 is a schematic of such a conventional distributed multimedia server system. As shown in FIG. 1, a distributed multimedia server system 1 includes a communication server module 2, storage server modules 3 and 4, and a local area network 5.
Shown in FIG. 2 is a sequence in which multimedia information is stored. Upon receiving a write request and multimedia information from a terminal, the communication server module 2 divides the multimedia information, and transmits the write request to the storage server module 3. After receiving a response to the write request, the communication server module 2 transmits the divided multimedia information to the storage server module 3. Similarly, the communication server module 2 transmits information to the storage server module 4, and repeats the process.
Shown in Fig, 3 is a sequence in which multimedia info anon is distributed. Upon receiving a read request from a terminal, the communication server module 2 transmits a multimedia-information read request to the storage server module 3. Having received the read request, the storage server module 3 transmits requested multimedia information to the communication server module 2, The communication server module 2 receives the multimedia information, and transmits the multimedia information to the terminal through a distribution network. Similarly, the communication server module 2 transmits a multimedia-information read request to the storage server module 4. The storage server module 4 transmits requested multimedia info, information to the communication server module 2. The process is repeated.
Patent Document 1: Patent Publication No. 3461278
Non-patent Literature 1: INFINIBAND(SM) TRADE ASSOCIATION, [online], [Searched on 6 May, 2005], the Internet <http://infinibandta.org/events/past/it_roadshow/fabric_tco_ibm.pdf>
Non-patent Literature 2: Myrinet Overview, [online], [Searched on 6 May, 2005], the Internet <http://www.myrinet.com/myrinet/overview/>
Non-patent Literature 3: Tsukuba Advanced Computing Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, “AIST supercluster”, [online], [Searched on 6 May, 2005], the Internet <http://unit.aist.go.jp/tacc/supercluster.html>